Promissioterapie by vroue na die verlies van 'n eggenoot: 'n pastoraal-narratiewe studie

English: This research is portrayed by the methaphor of a chain with links to represent the continuity of the research narrative. The starting point of the chain comprises the realization of the problem and the end of the chain the findings of the research. The first three links of the research-chain is a representation of the explanatiion of the research-plan, the context, the research-statements, -expectations, -methodology and -limitations as wei as the chapter exposition and summary. The purpose of this research is to facilitate hope and consolation among women, who have lost their husbands. My personal loss of my husband was the motivation for this study. The emotional aspect of pain was metaphorically depicted by fragments of poetry by Totius. The choice of texts represents the congruent experience with the women's pain and mourning. The second, third and fourth link of the research-chain deals with the theological positioning of the research. This study is founded in Practical Theology and researched from a postmodern paradigm, with social constructionistic discourse as epistemological point of departure. Participatory Action Research, as part of qualitative research methodology, is used. Anthropological paradigms were explored to formulate an anthropology for this research. The researcher formulated an anthropology for this study. The fifth and sixth link of the research-chain depicts the concepts eschatology and promissiotherapy. Eschatology emphasizes the Christian aspect and deals with the actual and not just the ultimate. Promissiotherapy deals with the promises that are concerned with the beginning and the end or in other words the eschatology. The concepts hope and consolation are clarified. The prospect of promissiotherapy, to understand and interpret the experience of mourning and to facilitate hope and consolation, was explored. Concepts regarding spirituality, eschatology and promissiotherapy are singled out and clarified. In this discussion the women's portrayal of life hereafter and the role it can play to offer hope and consolation is illustrated. The following two links clarifies the concepts regarding loss, mourning and grief. The following elements, social constructive discourse, deconstruction, reconstruction, construction and externalization, of the narrative approach are designated and explained. The research is informed by using mechanisms of the narrative approach. The women constructed their stories during the dialogue. Discourses on heaven are portrayed in verbatim conversations with the women. The last two links introduces a framework of principles, that are funded in the Bible, to facilitate hope and consolation for women after the loss of a husband. To understand the message of God in the Bible it was necessary to discuss hermeneutics. Julian Muller's conversation approach is used to compose an approach to accompany women in mourning. The choice is made to enable the researcher to create space for dialogue. It established markers through the five movements for interaction between the women and the researcher. This comprises of a therapeutic action that may have a constructive and positive implication for the women's existence as well as meaningful functioning in their lives. The therapy is a participating process in which the therapist and the women work together. Verbatim excerptions of the women's narratives, that reflects the total image of their experience, are quoted. The end of the research-chain represents the reflective process. There was speculation over the research prospects and their possibilities. It consists of a discussion about the plan, limits and the value of the research as well as the contribution of this study. Furthermore is serves as a summary of the research project.